I have a set of Nikon primes that I inherited from my father. I like the way they are relatively small and compact. However, I've read that they don't deliver like the new primes especially on a D800. My lenses include the 20 AFD, 24 AF, 28 AF, 35 AFD, 50 AF (1., and a real gem the the 85 1.8. AF. I keep thinking that Nikon will make a mirrorless unit that will help to revive these lenses.

FWIW I use 2.8/24mm; 2/35mm; 1.8/50mm; 2.8/105mm Micro and 2.8/135mm all of these manual focus AIS; I also have an 8/500mm Cat. Some were new and some bought used. I have a single AF lens: 2.8/180mm which I wish had been manual, but wasn't available as such here in Spain when I was buying. Unfortunately, at the time, it cost as much as the more expensive manual, too. Hey ho.

I feel that the lenses made prior to AF are better because they are not designed to be light-weight so as to enable autofocus to work. As far as image quality goes, the best manuals were designed for professionals to earn their living with, and suspect that's more than can be said for the industry today. Anyway, I have only once come across a Nikkor that really, really sucked; yes, a zoom.

In the end, it's about making nice images, and I wonder how much 'quality' is really ever used in the process of doing that; the moment you abandon a tripod you are at the mercy of your own nervous system - when did anyone get that checked out at 100% on their monitor?

If it's for fun, most anything will probaly do; if you have to think about earning your keep through it, then you have to be very careful at the shops!

My 28mm f/3.5 shift lens works great via adapter on my Olympus OM-D5 Micro-Four-Thirds camera. You can make some seriously wide panos, and you can build super high-res composites too. Other lenses that see M43-format duty are a 60mm D-series Micro, an 85mm f/1.4D, a '60s-era AI'd 105mm f/2.5, an AIS 105mm f/1.8 and an AIS 400mm f/3.5 ED-IF. The 400mm is almost scary in its combo of reach and speed, and unlike the current 400s it only weighs a ton rather than a freakin' ton. (It makes a darn good 114mm aperture telescope too via additional hardware.)

Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention...I've ditched all my D-SLRs but I have kept a few of the film variety, including one Nikon: a lovely FTn in perfect working condition that I will never sell. It's even in my will!

I regularly use a Nikon 105mm f/4 AI-S Micro-Nikkor on D800, D800E, and Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and EOS 1D X bodies. Obviously I use a Nikon F to Canon EF mount adapter for working with the Canons. My advice is to try them before making a decision. Make sure you find the right AF micro-adjustment setting for each lens before decidng they are unsharp or alternatively, bypass the phase based AF and use live view's contrast based AF when testing.

no kiddin' my respectable 105 AF-D f/2.8 nikkor is still in my bag. I remember when I bought it as 18 year old a day after Chrismas. That was 24 years ago. My father declared me nuts, now he's begging to use it on his D300s (OK I steal his 80-400 sometimes)

I just went through this dilemma a few months ago--what to do with my Nikon primes dating from the mid '70's including F2's,3's & my first digital, a D100. It was painful to unload these lenses--pennies to the dollar--I found someone I felt was trustworthy even though I longed for better monies for my kit. After the trade in, I accepted the loss. I'm free of bondage---I have my D600 & mostly new zooms and a new 50mm will be in my bag within a few days. The only prime from the '70's which I kept from my original collection is a 35mm PC lens.

I use lots and lots of older Nikon lenses on the D800e. The 28 AFd is not up to snuff, its actually a series E lens with AF and a floating element. It is better close up than at a distance. The 50 1.4 AFd is great on a D800. Very sharp but there is lots of CA under 2.2. The 85 1.8D should be fine. The 35 is OK as well. Not sure about teh 24 of 20.

Some will be better than others but yes, if you want the best lenses nikon makes for your D800 you need to sell up and buy the latest ones.

My old nikon primes are AIS lenses which get used for video and have done up in value because of the dslr video game.

I've never tried any of my Nikkors with a "full-frame" (hate that term) D-SLR. The only 35mm-format D-SLR I've owned was the original Canon 5D, which did a fine job of revealing all the flaws of my then lenses...even some of the Ls, and that was a 12mp camera.

keep the lenses unless you really need the money. I exchanged all my old primes to the newest primes - I lost a lot of money. There will be no aperture ring anymore (nice need if you shoot video) Speaking about quality, sharpness... the difference between old prime v new ist nearly 3-7 % in my opinion. Of course some lenses are having nano coated, silent wave motor ...

I am also thinking of selling my nikon 400 2,8 but on the d800 it is really nice ....

Keep them !I do have both model of 35mm (AF-not D 35mm F2.0 and AF-S 1.4G), and I do surely keep using the f/2.0. The aperture ring is quite useful (for film camera nostalgia but also for mirrorless) and the AF-D do focus much faster than the recent 1.4G lenses which are quite slow in fact.

Also i don't hurry to replace my 85mm 1.8D and love to use the Voigtlander 20mm / 35mm F2.0 / 85mm F1.8D as a super compact kit for reportage, with one lens in each pocket and no bag at all. I don't have pockets for my 24 and 35G lenses